Bobbin for thread-based projects

ABSTRACT

An improved bobbin comprising an upper section having an invertable flexible crown, a midsection having a central body to receive and spool crafting thread, and lower section having a base with an embedded ring that provides additional weight to the bobbin to keep craft threads sufficiently taut during use.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a device for use with artsand crafts projects. More specifically, the invention involves animproved device for holding and supplying thread. Even moreparticularly, the present invention involves an improved bobbin for usein, for example, Kumihimo the Japanese art of braiding cord or string invarious patterns, and other similar art forms.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A bobbin is a reel, spool, cylinder or cone that provides temporary orpermanent storage for thread, yarn, string, twin, wire and other formsof line items, in a manner which preferably helps prevent or eliminatestangling, Bobbins are widely used in connection with weaving, machinesewing, spinning, knitting, lacemaking, and thread-based arts and craftsprojects. Bobbins come in many different forms, and can be formed intomany different configurations that are suited to effectively accommodatea wide, variety of materials. In that regard, a basic sewing machinebobbin may measure 2-3 centimeters in diameter and weigh about an ounce,while those used in more commercial or industrial applications may besignificantly larger.

Over the years, bobbin configurations have evolved. For example, priorart bobbins utilized in the art of Kumihimo, macramé and other forms ofbraiding and craftwork have been created using flexible plasticmaterials. These bobbins have a flexible, upwardly facing crown, acentral body around which thread is spooled and a base. After spoolingthe thread around the central body, the flexible crown of the bobbin isinverted by a user, maintaining the position of the working end ofthread between the edges of the crown and base. This feature preventsthe thread around a bobbin from unravelling, while still permitting thethread to be drawn by a user when creating the thread-based project. Inthat regard, it is common for users to employ multiple threaded bobbinsfor Kumihimo, macramé and related projects.

Despite the utility and advances in conventional bobbin designs andfeatures, there is room for improvement. Since the materials utilized tocreate flexible bobbins comprise relatively lightweight plastics, thereis a need to increase the weight of individual bobbins so as to keep theworking threads of the project taut while a design is being createdwithout compromising the overall utility of the bobbin. Likewise, thereis a need to firm and stiffen the base of the bobbin withoutsignificantly altering its utility, configuration and construction

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the deficiencies and drawbacks in the prior art, it is aprimary object of the present invention to provide an improved bobbinfor use in Kumihimo, macramé and related arts and crafts projects.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide additionalweight to a conventional bobbin without compromising its overall utilityor interfering with its intended use.

Additional objectives will be apparent from the description of theinvention that follows.

In summary there is provided an improved bobbin comprising an uppersection having an invertable flexible crown, a midsection having acentral body to receive and spool crafting thread, and lower sectionhaving a base and an embedded ring that provides additional weight tothe bobbin to keep craft threads sufficiently taut during use.

These and other advantages of the present invention will become moreapparent to those skilled in the art from the description set forthbelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-described and other advantages and features of the presentdisclosure will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in theart from the following detailed description and drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the improved bobbin of the presentinvention with the flexible crown of the bobbin in a closed or invertedposition;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the improved bobbin of the presentinvention with the flexible crown of the bobbin in an open or extendedposition;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of taken through the center of theimproved bobbin shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the improved bobbin of the presentinvention with the flexible crown of the bobbin in a closed or invertedposition; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the improved bobbin of the presentinvention with the flexible crown of the bobbin in an open or extendedposition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 5, there is shown an improvedbobbin 10 of the present invention. As shown most clearly in FIG. 2 andFIG. 3, bobbin 10 comprises an upper section 12, a midsection 14, and alower section 16. At upper section 12, there is a flexible, upwardlyfacing crown 18 that is formed of a flexible, thin plastic material.When the crown 18 and its rim 19 face upward, the bobbin is in an open,extended position, ready to receive thread around the central body 20 atmidsection 14. Central body 20 comprises an angled pedestal 22 and acylinder member 24 around which thread is spooled during use of bobbin10. Extending from upper section 12 and down through midsection 14 andlower section 16 is a cylindrically configured aperture 23 that definesan interior cylinder wall 25.

At lower section 16 of bobbin 10, an annular base 26 having an edge 28that extends around the circumference of base 26 is positioned. Base 26preferably comprises plastic having a thickness that is greater thanthat of crown 18. In that regard, while it is intended for crown 18 tohave sufficient flexion to alternate between a closed position and anopen position, base 26 is intended to remain relatively static,providing minimal flexion as needed for the tasks and purposes set forthherein.

Embedded within base 26 is an annular weighted ring 30 comprised ofmetallic material. Ring 30 adds sufficient weight to bobbin 10 to enablethe thread spooled around central body 20 to remain taut and stretchedduring use with, for example, a Kumihomo braiding disk. In a preferredembodiment, ring 30 alone has at least the same amount of mass as theremaining elements of bobbin 10. Most preferably, ring 30 has two tofive times the weight of the rest of bobbin 10, and most desirablyaround three times the weight.

In a preferred embodiment, ring 30 extends radially outward from theinterior cylinder wall 25, a distance measuring between 50% and 90% ofthe radius of base 26, and most preferably limited to between 60% and75%. This enables to edge 28 of base 26 to bend slightly, if needed, inresponse to manipulation of the base 26 by a user during use of bobbin10. By embedding ring 30 into base 26 and leaving the plastic surfaceexposed on the exterior of the base 26 of bobbin 10, the bobbin 10maintains its ergonomic feel and an appearance that is consistent withthe upper section 12 and crown 18.

During use, bobbin 10 is opened from its closed position, as shown inFIG. 1 and FIG. 4, to an open or extended position as shown in FIG. 2,FIG. 3 and FIG. 5. To open bobbin 10, upper section 12 (which ispresented in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 in an inverted position), is lifted by auser from the edge 28 of base 26. When a sufficient portion of the uppersection 12 is lifted, crown 18 snaps and extends upward and bobbin 10 isin an open position ready to receive thread around central body 20.After bobbin 10 is placed into an exposed position, thread is spooledaround central body 20. Thereafter, crown 18 is inverted and the rim 19of crown 18 rests against the edge 28 of base 26 as shown in FIG. 1 andFIG. 4. In a most preferred embodiment, crown rim 19 partially overlapsthe lateral, outward face 29 of edge 28. When crown 18 is inverted,spooled crafting thread extends from around central body 20 and ispressed between rim 19 and base edge 28 with sufficient force to preventthe thread in bobbin 10 from unravelling on its own, yet enabling threadto be drawn by a user as needed for the project. Moreover, since base 26is constructed to be relatively denser by virtue of the incorporation ofring 30, base 26 provides a firmer surface against which thread can beheld until drawn by a user.

Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrates aring 30 that is entirely embedded within base 26, it should beappreciated that, in an alternate embodiment, a ring may be provided andattached to base 26 in a manner that does not require full integrationof the ring within base 26. For example, base may form a sleeve orjacket around into which a ring may be inserted but selectively removedfor replacement, or when use of ring 30 is not desired. In anotherembodiment which may be formed with minor modifications, the underside34 of the base 26 is open and the edge around the circumference of base26 forms a groove 36 within which the circumference of ring 30 is lodgedand held in place.

It should be appreciated that while certain aspects of the presentinvention specifically identify or refer to ‘threads’ and ‘yarn,’ theseitems should be considered interchangeable with one another and withother similar forms of lines unless specifically stated otherwise.Moreover, while the description of the invention refers specifically insome instances to the art of Kumihomo and macramé, it should beappreciated that the invention is also suited for use with other formsof crafts such as braiding, knotting, micro-macramé and the similarcrafts.

The accompanying drawings only illustrate a preferred embodiments of animproved bobbin, its constituent parts, and method of use. However,other types and configurations are possible, and the drawings are notintended to be limiting in that regard. Thus, although the descriptionabove and accompanying drawings contains much specificity, the detailsprovided should not be construed as limiting the scope of theembodiment(s) but merely as providing illustrations of some of thepresently preferred embodiment(s). The drawings and the description arenot to be taken as restrictive on the scope of the embodiment(s) and areunderstood as broad and general teachings in accordance with the presentinvention. While the present embodiment(s) of the invention have beendescribed using specific terms, such description is for presentillustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood thatmodifications and variations to such embodiments, including but notlimited to the substitutions of equivalent features, materials, orparts, and the reversal of various features thereof, may be practiced bythose of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. It should also be noted that the terms “first,”“second” and similar terms may be used herein to modify variouselements. These modifiers do not imply a spatial, sequential, orhierarchical order to the modified elements unless specifically stated.

1. An improved bobbin comprising: an upper section formed of a flexibleplastic material that defines an invertable crown; a midsection having acentral body to receive and spool crafting thread; a lower sectionhaving a base with a ring of sufficient mass to keep said craftingthread taut during use of said bobbin; and a cylindrically configuredaperture extending from said upper section down through said midsectionand said lower section to define an interior cylinder wall.
 2. Theimproved bobbin of claim 1, wherein said central body further comprisesan angled pedestal and a cylinder member positioned between said uppersection and said lower section and configured to receive and spoolcrafting thread.
 3. The improved bobbin of claim 1, wherein said basehas a radius and an annular configuration extending radially around saidcylindrically configured aperture and said interior cylinder wall. 4.The improved bobbin of claim 3, wherein said ring is an annular weightedring comprised of metallic material.
 5. The improved bobbin of claim 4,wherein said annular weighted ring extends radially outward from theinterior cylinder wall a distance measuring between 50% and 90% of theradius of said base.
 6. The improved bobbin of claim 5, wherein saidannular weighted ring extends radially outward from the interiorcylinder wall a distance measuring between 60% and 75% of the radius ofsaid base.
 7. The improved bobbin of claim 6, wherein said annularweighted ring is embedded within said base.
 8. The improved bobbin ofclaim 7, wherein said base fully envelops said ring when said ring isembedded within said base.
 9. The improved bobbin of claim 7, whereinsaid base forms a jacket into which said ring is inserted andselectively removable therefrom.
 10. The improved bobbin of claim 7,wherein said base has an underside that is exposed, and an interiorgrooved circumference around the edge of said base within which saidring is lodged and held in place.
 11. An improved bobbin comprising: anupper section formed of a flexible plastic material that defines aninvertable crown; a midsection having a central body with an angledpedestal to receive and spool crafting thread; a lower section having abase comprised of said flexible plastic materials, with a ring ofsufficient mass to keep said crafting thread taut during use of saidbobbin; and a cylindrically configured aperture extending from saidupper section down through said midsection and said lower section todefine an interior cylinder wall; wherein said ring has at least twicethe mass of the rest of the bobbin without said ring.
 12. The improvedbobbin of claim 11, wherein said base has a radius and an annularconfiguration extending radially around said cylindrically configuredaperture and said interior cylinder wall.
 13. The improved bobbin ofclaim 11, wherein said base has a thickness that is larger than saidcrown, and requiring at least twice as much force to flex said base ascompared to said crown.
 14. The improved bobbin of claim 11, whereinsaid ring is an annular ring comprised of metallic material.
 15. Theimproved bobbin of claim 14, wherein said annular weighted ring extendsradially outward from the interior cylinder wall a distance measuringbetween 50% and 90% of the radius of said base.
 16. The improved bobbinof claim 15, wherein said annular weighted ring extends radially outwardfrom the interior cylinder wall a distance measuring between 60% and 75%of the radius of said base.
 17. The improved bobbin of claim 16, whereinsaid annular weighted ring is embedded within said base.
 18. Theimproved bobbin of claim 17, wherein said base fully envelops said ringwhen said ring is embedded within said base.
 19. The improved bobbin ofclaim 17, wherein said base forms a jacket into which said ring isinserted and selectively removable therefrom.
 20. The improved bobbin ofclaim 17, wherein said base has an underside that is exposed, and aninterior grooved circumference around the edge of said base within whichsaid ring is lodged and held in place.